The Psychological Effects of a Campus Forest Therapy Program

• Main Authors: Jin Gun Kim, Tae Gyu Khil, Youngsuwn Lim, Kyungja Park, Minja Shin, Won Sop Shin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-05-01
• Series: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Subjects: forest healing; campus forest; profile of mood state; stress response inventory; university students’ stress
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/10/3409

This study aimed to examine the psychological effects of a campus forest therapy program. To evaluate these, pre-test and post-test control group design was employed. A total of 38 participants participated in this study (19 in the campus forest therapy program group, and 19 in control). The Profile of Mood State (POMS) questionnaire and Modified form of the Stress Response Inventory (SRI-MF) were administered to each participant to assess psychological effects. The results of this study revealed that participants in the campus forest therapy program group had significantly positive increases in their mood and stress response compared with those of control group participants. In conclusion, the campus forest therapy program is an efficient strategy to provide psychological health benefits to university students and our study can inform decision-makers on the priority of the campus forest program in societal efforts to promote psychological well-being among university students.